Harry's Phobia
by chuls
Summary: When Malfoy is too pushy in potions class one day, Harry is forced to get the potion ingredients from the cupboard. Unfortunately for him, what is supposed to be a simple task turns into a fierce battle between Harry ... and his claustrophobia. Post-war, but Snape is still alive.
"Go get the ingredients from the cupboard Potter." Malfoy told Harry while he started the fire under the caldron. They had been assigned as partners for the day in potions … again. Harry could've sworn Snape took perverse pleasure in making them work together. All the other teachers had already realized that they wouldn't get along, no matter how many times they were forced together. Why couldn't Snape?

Harry looked over at the cupboard apprehensively. He always avoided the potions cupboard. He had an unspoken, sort of elephant-in-the-room type agreement with Ron and Hermione that they would get the ingredients, while he set up. Usually Malfoy didn't like setting up, something about it being work for _lesser_ people.

"You get them. I always set up." Harry replied, hoping Malfoy would just drop it and get the ingredients. Malfoy looked up and glared.

"It has to be done a certain way on this potion and you'll do it wrong. I'm not going to fail because of you." Malfoy said, continuing to set up. Harry didn't know what to do. He didn't want to keep pushing in case Malfoy got suspicious, but he really couldn't go into that cupboard.

"I don't know which ones to get. Can you just go get them?" Harry lied, trying to act like he was annoyed instead of nervous. Malfoy sighed in irritation, looking up at the ceiling, like he was praying for Harry to grow a brain.

"They're written on the board." He said slowly, pointing at the board. He had stopped what he was doing and just glared at Harry. Harry, not having any other excuses come to mind, slowly turned and walked towards the cupboard. _It wasn't a big deal_ he told himself. He just needed to get a few things and he could be out before the door even shut.

Because Harry and Malfoy had spent so much time arguing, everyone else had already gotten their ingredients, so when Harry went in, he was alone. Quickly he looked around for the seven things he needed. He spotted four almost immediately. _Three more_ he thought to himself, repeating the names of the ingredients over and over to try and distract himself.

 _Was it always this dark in here?_ The thought popped into his head, and nervously he looked around. Harry wrapped his arms around himself, glancing around the cupboard. _It's not that small, it's actually kind of big._ He thought. Then out of the corner of his eye he saw the wall move. It was coming in, making the cupboard smaller. He quickly looked over and studied the wall but it stayed where it was. Harry could feel a panic attack coming on, so he tried to take deep breaths to calm down.

 _WHAT WAS THAT?_ Harry jerked around. He could have sworn he saw someone over in the corner. Suddenly Harry felt someone grab his arm. He turned around and struck out, but there was only air. The walls were closing in and someone was in the cupboard with him. Harry's breaths increased, and he looked around panicked. Suddenly the light disappeared and he was in complete darkness. Harry gasped, his fear almost overpowering him.

It was so dark! He couldn't see anything. He kept feeling the presence of someone behind him. There was someone there. Someone who wanted to hurt him! Tears came to Harry's eyes. He had to get out. Dropping the things in his hands he rushed towards where he thought the door was. He ran into a shelf and glass bottles rattled together.

 _What was that?_ Harry thought, but he quickly dismissed it. It was more important he found a way out of this place. He couldn't feel a way out. There was a man right behind him and he couldn't get out! Finally he found the door! But there was no handle. The tears finally fell from Harry's eyes, and he sobbed. He was trapped. It was just like the door to _his_ cupboard… That's where he was, and Uncle Vernon was going to punish him. He couldn't remember what he had done but it didn't matter.

Harry crouched down in the corner, curling up. The walls felt stable but he couldn't see, and Uncle Vernon was trying to find him. It was only a matter of time.

LINE BREAK

 _What in the bloody hell is taking Potter so long?_ Draco was beyond angry. Potter had been in the cupboard for several minutes now. Draco sighed, tapping his fingernail against the desk. Draco had been trying really hard to be nice, but it was like Potter was doing everything he could to make him angry. Okay, so Potter didn't want to get the ingredients, but that doesn't mean he needs to take literally forever to get them.

"Why haven't you started yet?" Professor Snape asked coming up the aisle.

"Potter is still getting the ingredients." Draco said, wanting to get Potter in trouble for taking so long.

"Mr. Potter is in the storage cupboard?" Professor Snape asked, looking surprised.

"Yes. He's been in there for several minutes now." Draco huffed. Snape looked over at the cupboard door and then hurried over. Draco followed, wanting to watch Potter getting yelled at. As soon as the door opened the sound of someone sobbing could be heard. Everyone in the class stopped what they were doing, and looked over.

 _Was Potter … crying?_ Draco thought, completely stunned. Snape rushed in and Draco followed. Harry Potter crying was … not something Draco could imagine, and yet there he was, huddled in the corner… crying. Snape quickly knelt down in front of Potter and was trying to talk to him but Potter was completely hysterical. The other students in the class had crowded around the door to see what was going on.

Suddenly Potter seemed to become aware of himself again and stopped sobbing, but tears were still falling from his eyes. He looked around at everyone staring at him, then at Snape. Embarrassed, Potter hid his face in his arms.

"Everyone, get out. Go back to your potions." Professor Snape yelled. Everyone but Draco scrambled to obey, not wanting to lose points. Snape looked back at Draco.

"You too, Mr. Malfoy." He said. Draco left after one more baffled look at Potter.

LINE BREAK

This was officially Harry's most embarrassing moment. He had completely lost it. He had lost touch with reality entirely. He had actually thought for a minute there that he was back at Privet Drive in his cupboard. Harry felt a hand on his back, and another on his knee. Despite the fact that he knew it was Snape, it was somewhat comforting to him. Twenty seconds or so later, Harry had gotten control over himself somewhat and managed to stop crying, but he couldn't bring himself to look up. He was never going to live this down.

"How long have you been claustrophobic?" Snape asked quietly. Harry peeked up at Snape, but kept resting his head on his arms. He had to look away after a moment.

"A long time." Harry answered, ashamed.

"You kept saying you were sorry?" Snape asked, wanting Harry to explain. Harry put his face into his arms again. He wasn't going to answer, but then he remembered that Snape already knew about his family life.

"My Uncle isn't a nice man." Harry replied.

"The cupboard?" Snape asked.

"Yes." Harry said, sniffing. He still couldn't believe that Snape knew about his cupboard, yet he had never said anything about it since he learned about it through the occlumency lessons. Harry was also thankful that Snape hadn't told anyone else about it.

"My father was not a nice man either." Snape said, surprising Harry. Harry lifted his head up, looking Snape in the eyes. For a moment they just looked at each other, each now knowing that the other had had rough childhoods. Snape scooted over next to Harry against the wall.

"I find alcohol intolerable, and I strongly suspect that is because … my father would always beat my mother and I when he was drunk." Snape told Harry. Harry watched Snape. He couldn't believe that Snape had been abused, but it also kind of made sense. But Snape was so strong, so powerful, and everyone was afraid of him.

"I always … feared that … I would be like him if I ever became intoxicated." Snape told Harry looking over at him.

"You're afraid of being drunk?" Harry asked. In any other conversation that probably would have sounded silly, but now, Harry was asking in complete honest sincerity.

"In a way. I was more fearful of it as a youth. Now I'm just more aware that it's a possible consequence of intoxication… losing control of one's self." Snape explained.

"Do you think maybe one day I could feel like that … about cupboards?" Harry asked quietly.

"Are you afraid right now?" Snape asked.

"No, but …" Harry trailed off.

"But… you're in a cupboard." Snape finished. Harry looked at Snape for a moment, but then had to look away.

"But you're here with me." Harry told Snape.

"Why should that matter? Besides, with me being somewhat similar to your Uncle by being an older male, shouldn't that make it worse for you?" Snape asked. Harry was quiet for a moment.

"I feel safe with you." Harry said quietly. Snape was completely blown away. He couldn't think of another time someone had told him that they felt safe because of him, and the only other people that might have felt that way were dead. _Well, maybe not all of them_ , Snape thought thinking of Draco.

"Why don't you come out of the cupboard so you can finish your potion. I don't want to have to give you detention." Snape replied. Harry gasped.

"You _don't_ want to give me detention?" Harry jokingly asked, smiling a little. Although he wouldn't have admitted it, Snape was glad to see the smile.

"It's a one time thing." Snape said getting up and helping Harry get up too.

The rest of the class turned out to be somewhat awkward. Harry was understandably embarrassed when he came out of the cupboard and everyone looked over at him. He was sure it was painfully obvious that he had been crying. His face always got all blotchy when he cried, and his eyes felt swollen. He gave Ron and Hermione a small smile and then hurried over to his seat by Malfoy. Once he got there he realized he didn't have the ingredients that they needed. He sighed lifting his glasses up to rub his eyes.

"Here you go. I expect you two to finish. You still have enough time." Snape said, setting down the things they needed. Harry gave a sigh of relief. The two boys worked in silence, only talking when they needed to for the rest of the class.

LINE BREAK

It was finally the weekend, and Harry was ready to get away from people for a little bit. The story of his _episode_ , as he had heard it referred to, spread like wildfire throughout the school. Most everyone had assumed that Harry had gotten locked in the storage cupboard as a prank and then because of post-traumatic stress from the war he freaked out when he realized he couldn't get out. No one had really made fun of him, but he was tired of all the stares, and whispers. He was especially tired of being treated like he was on the verge of another meltdown any second. Everyone was offering to help him and had kind words to say. It made Harry sick. Okay, he could admit it, he cried because he was trapped in a dark cupboard, but he still was a strong powerful man who had defeated Voldemort for crying out loud. It was a big hit on his masculinity to be treated like a precious little toddler.

Despite all the rumors however there were a few people who knew the truth. Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and of course Snape all knew the truth. He was claustrophobic, and he had been trapped in a small space. Terrifying at the time, but now he was as good as he had ever been. Hermione had even put it together that it was a complete accident Harry ended up trapped in there. The door to the cupboard swings out into the classroom and gets in the way so Snape always closed it once people were done. But, since Harry had taken so long to go over to the cupboard to begin with, Snape accidentally shut the door with him in there. There wasn't a handle on the inside because Snape used to have magical plants in there that could have been able to use the handle to get out. It had been years since then, but he just hadn't gotten around to installing another handle. However Hermione had told Harry yesterday that there was a handle on the inside now, so Snape must have installed it again.

However it happened though, Harry just wanted it to blow over. Hopefully after this weekend it would. In any case Harry wanted to start his weekend-of-solitude-with-no-one-staring-at-him early, so he was walking from the Great Hall after dinner to the Gryffindor common room a little before dinner had finished. He had just gone around a corner when he was pulled suddenly into a classroom. Struggling, he tried to get his wand out, while also trying to get away from his attacker.

"Potter, stop!" Malfoy said. Harry stopped instantly. Even though Harry didn't get along with him, the war had really changed Malfoy, and he was actually a fairly decent person now. But also Harry knew he was safe because the ministry was watching the Malfoy family like a hawk and if Malfoy tried anything, Harry could probably get him put in Azkaban prison … not that he would, but he could. The two boys just stared at each other, while Harry re-adjusted his robes.

"I'm … I'm sorry I made you go into the cupboard." Malfoy said finally, breaking eye contact and looking down while blushing.

"It's alright. You couldn't have known what was going to happen." Harry replied. Malfoy reached up and scratched the back of his head, while glancing up at Harry.

"Actually, I sort of had an idea. I … noticed over the years … that … you never went into the storage cupboard. I didn't know for sure but … um…" He trailed off blushing and looking down again. How close had Malfoy been watching him, Harry wondered.

"If you knew I was … am … claustrophobic, then why did you make me go in?" Harry asked. He figured he already knew the answer. He was still rivals with Malfoy even if he was playing nice now.

"I forgot. I wasn't doing it maliciously." Malfoy replied. Harry was surprised, and somewhat happy. He was glad Malfoy had changed so much.

"I believe you." Harry said, turning and walking out. _Malfoy was a pretty cool person actually_ , Harry thought, and then stopped walking when he realized what he'd just thought. But wasn't he? He had taken it upon himself to apologize to Harry, which meant he also felt bad about what had happened. Harry had to admit that he was worried about Malfoy making fun of him about the _episode_ , but it didn't seem like that was going to be a problem. Thinking about it, it was a pretty Hufflepuff thing to do, really out of character for Malfoy. If only the other Slytherins had changed as much as Malfoy, and even Snape. But it seemed like although they were relieved Voldemort was gone, they were still the sassy Slytherins they'd always been.

Suddenly Harry was struck with a crazy thought. What would it be like to be friends with Malfoy? As soon as he thought it, Harry knew he wanted to try. Determined he walked back to the classroom. Malfoy was still in there, looking at the ground. He looked up surprised when Harry walked back in.

"Hey Malfoy, this is kind of crazy, but … well, ever since this school year started up the Gryffindors have had movie nights every Friday night. It's like a play, but you can watch it at home, whenever you want … Do you, maybe, want to come?" Harry asked feeling really vulnerable. Malfoy was probably going to sneer and say no, and then Harry was going to look like a prat.

"Are … is everyone else going to be a Gryffindor?" Malfoy asked hesitantly.

"Probably, but we've talked about inviting people from other houses before, so it's not like it's just some Gryffindor bonding thing." Harry said, trying to be reassuring. He didn't know why, but he really wanted Malfoy to come.

"It's tonight?" Malfoy asked again. He seemed like he wanted to go, but was really uneasy about it.

"Yeah. We always start it an hour after dinner's over. We can go now and start setting up. Come on, you'll love movies." Harry tried again to persuade him. Malfoy didn't say anything for a few moments.

"I do love plays." He finally admitted. Harry smiled.

"You have to come then. They're better than plays!" Harry replied. He'd never actually been to a play, but he figured movies were better.

"I'll have to see that to believe it." Malfoy said, acting somewhat more like his old self, but instead of annoying Harry, it was nice. He didn't look all depressed for a second.

"Well, then I guess you'll have to come then … to see that movies are better." Harry said, realizing Malfoy probably needed a little justification for himself as to why he was going. Making friends just wouldn't cut it. So together, Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy walked to the Gryffindor common room, starting what they'd much later realize was the beginning of a best friendship that would last for the rest of their lives.


End file.
